Better Informing Parents of Child Care Quality
By Rep. Steve Mentzer (R-Lititz)
When a parent or guardian drops their child off at state-licensed daycare center, they assume that the child will receive the level of care and nutrition that they themselves would provide.
But, just like restaurants that are also licensed by the state, quality of care provided is not universal.
To better educate parents about the choices and quality of child care options, the House Children and Youth Committee last week advanced bipartisan legislation to publically post information about a child care center’s quality.
House Bill 1742, which now goes to the full House for consideration, would require all state-licensed child care centers to post their Keystone STARS rating in a prominent location, on their websites, and in informational enrollment and application materials given to parents.
The Keystone STARS program, operated by the state Office of Child Development and Early Learning within the Department of Human Services, sets quality requirements for early childhood educators based on a four-star rating system. All licensed child care centers that meet the state’s health and safety requirements are required to be part of the Keystone STARS system.
The Keystone STARS performance standards are grouped into four levels. The standards address staff qualifications and professional development, early learning programs, partnerships with family and the community, and leadership and management.
The overall intent is to encourage low-rated child care centers to improve their programs.